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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.